Terrible Gas Mileage on Brand New 4-cylinder Automatic

How fast were you driving? Same speed with the '91?

Toyota does play the system with the I4 Pre-runner, getting the same EPA rating out of a 4-door as a base cab 5-lug. Yeah right!

 

I've said it before that if I knew my 4cyl got this bad of mileage i would have gotten the 6

 

I can relate to this in the winter time when I drive my Tacoma the most. 2012 SR5 4x4 4cyl 5-speed ext cab w/15,000miles now. I'm averaging about 20-21mpg. Best was once 25mpg on a trip w/no stopping until fill up. Still love my truck! By the way, truck is stock. Engine, tires, etc.

 

If you are averaging 20-21 MPG with your 4 cyl, you would probably only get 15-16 MPG with all things being equal.

 

+1

 

i have a4.0 liter and i got 23.25 mpg going 60mph on cruise with 2 or 3 thousand miles on it.

 

2010 double cab v6. averaging 21.4 mpg combo driving city and highway.

 

I get 22mpg with my 2011 4x4 reg cab 5mt

I saw better mileage after 10,000 break in.

Speed over 65 hurts mpg.
Frequent ac use hurts mpg.
Winter gas blend take 1-2 miles off.

Hard a acceleration hurts mpg but not as much as over 65.
Soft on the skinny pedal saves the most.

 

So the window sticker is an Estimated Average, not an absolute, or you WILL get this.

Likewise, put a few more miles on that Engine, relax, just drive and let the truck just do what it does.

I noticed changes after 5-7k miles in MPG +, just be patient.

 

Are you using an Ultra or Scan gauge? Fuelly? Or noting each by hand?

Sorry if it's a dumb question. I'm using mobile view and sure I'm missing things I'd see on my laptop.

 

I appreciate the continued feedback. I log my fuel consumption on an app called 'Car Minder'. I now have over 4k miles on the truck and my gas mileage over the last 10 fillups ranges from 16.15 - 17.85 mpg. The last tank was 16.99 mpg. Slowing down to 60 - 65 mph has not helped much. Even if this truck starts averaging 2 or 3 mpg with more break-in, the gas mileage would still be disappointing when comparing to what others are getting and with what it is rated for. If I drive very carefully, I barely make 300 miles per tank of gas. I am really disgusted with this truck and I intend to push Toyota to do something when I bring it in for the 5k mile checkup.

 

on my 12/4x4 /rc/mt/4 banger, i did see a nice bump after hitting 10k on speedo.for me, i have to stay 55 mph or less to save fuel. filled up yesterday and got 23.6 mpg.

 

Not sure what you think Toyota can do. Look at your window sticker.

It says City 18 Highway 24

Actual Mileage will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits and vehicle's condition. Results reported to EPA indicate that the majority of vehicles with these estimates will achieve between 15 and 23 mpg in the city and between 19 and 29 mpg on the highway. Or something there about.

My 5-lug totally destroys those conservatives EPA estimates, Toyota tricked you and the EPA into believing a pre-runner and a 5-lug will get the same mpg.

 

Again, what's your tire pressure? If you can live with the bumpier ride, going close to 40 psi instead of the sticker's 30 is good for about 2 mpg, give or take. FWIW I run 38 psi cold.

I can't tell how the break-in affects a Tacoma because I've never bought one new. I did buy my Fit new though. For the first 5k miles it almost never got above 30 mpg. After that first oil change it began steadily increasing. By the time I passed 25k I had to flog it and drive 75+ mph to get it down to 36 mpg; its typical tank was anywhere from 40-48 mpg. EPA said 28/34 and in the end that wasn't even close. I should have never sold that car; I should have just moved to Texas away from the snow.

With 3k miles on the truck, I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. New tires get worse mileage, moving parts are still wearing in and shining up...

 

A few months ago I bought a 2013 Tacoma: 2.7 (4 banger), 4x4, auto., extended cab. Around town I'm getting 20 mpg. Just got back from a road trip and going up into the mountains, fully loaded with camping and prospecting gear, I got 22 mpg. Coming out of the mountains I got 27, but of course that was mostly down hill.

I'm willing to sacrifice mpg for having a 4x4. I may not need the 4x4 a lot but when I need it, it's good to know it's there.

I know this may sound crazy, but if it's not a 4x4, can you really call it a truck?

 

It doesn't sound crazy Mike, just silly. Of course a 4x2 is a real truck.

 

sitting at 354 miles right now and will need to fill up on the way home from work. that is another 24 miles to the office so right now looking at around 19-20

 

Apparently any time in any thread it can devolve into 2wd vs 4wd.

Somehow we had 2wd trucks for decades before 4x4 became popular with people that use trucks for something totally different.

 

Absolutely correct. Each truck (2wd or 4wd) has its applications. It just depends upon what reasons a person needs a truck.

Excuse my ignorance but one thing I've never really understood though is why 2wd gets, or should get, better mpg than a 4wd. I mean when the 4wd is not engaged why shouldn't it get the same mpg as a 2wd? Help me out brothers....

 

That's right. My 2x4 never goes off road because it's used as a daily work utility vehicle and not for recreational dirt riding. So it would be silly for me to own a 4x4.

Could be because the 4x4's are carrying a lot more driveshaft/transfer case/hub driveline weight and are turning way larger heavier high rolling resistance wheels.

I experienced a 4 mpg increase in my gas mileage average going from heavy large diameter dirt tires to stock diameter low rolling resistance passenger car street tires. (results included using a 13% diameter correction factor)